Before adjourning legislative activities until July 2, 2024, the House of Representatives unveiled plans to embark on a fact-finding mission to Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited.
This decision comes in response to a petition from the Alesa host community regarding the company’s alleged non-payment of compensation for acquired land and failure to fulfill its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) obligations.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Public Petitions, Hon. Mike Etaba, disclosed this during an investigative hearing into the petition submitted by the host communities.
Hon. Etaba urged the Alesa host community to always strive to maintain a seamless relationship with investors on their land in the spirit of mutual benefits and also advised Indorama to live up to its CRS.
The lawmaker also urged the Host Community’s lawyer against litigation in all instances, as maintaining an open line of communication mostly leads to cooling of frayed nerves.
“The committee hopes that after careful perusal of the petion and response by both sides of their submissions before the committee, and with the planned oversight to the area, a lasting solution to the community’s dissatisfaction and Indorama’s position would be reached.
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Earlier during the Committee’s sitting, the Paramount ruler of Alesa community HRH Sir J. Alkpe had accused Indorama’s management of non payment of compensation for land over which pipelines and other installations were built.
He also accused the Petrochemical company of shirking in its Corporate Social Responsibility to the Alesa community whose people have been subject to neglect by the company despite the huge profitable business in it engages-in in the Eleme Local Government area of Rivers State.
Representative of Indorama Petrochemicals Ltd. at yesterday’s hearing who incidentally is an indigene of the area denied that the company never embark on the building of new pipelines or installation that warranted any payment of compensation to the community.
On the accusation of shirking its CSR, he said the company in discharging the responsibilities follows the approved template of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and ensure that it surpasses the baseline contained in the template.
